parry



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

' G. T. PARRY.

MARINE SIGNAL LIGHT FOR VESSELS. No. 328,059. Patented Oct. 13, 1885.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. T. PARRY.

MARINE SIGNAL LIGHT FOR VESSELS.

No. 328,059, Patented Oct. 13, 1885.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE T. PARRY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-FOURTHS TO FBEDERIC S. GROVES, OF SAME PLACE, JONATHAN CONE, OF BRISTOL, AND WILLIAM H. VVINGA'IE, OF CAMDEN, N. J.

MARINE SIGNAL-LIGHT FOR VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters P atent No. 328,059, dated October 13, 1885.

Application filed May 14, 1884. Serial No 131,521.- (No model.) Patented in Italy January 19, 1884, No. 16,268; in France March 1, 1884, No. 159,401; in England November (5, 1884, No. 14,677; in Belgium November 19, 1884, No. 60,789,- in Sweden December 31,

1884; in Spain April 23, 1885, No. 4,616, and in Austria April 27,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. PARRY, of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Marine Signal-Lights for Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has-reference to marine signal-lights, but more specifically to an improvement upon Letters Patent granted to me December 25, 1883, and numbered 290,918, and it consists of auxiliary movable or independent signal-lights so arranged upon the vessel with respect to the regular port and starboard lights required by law that they shall open or be exposed to view from the sides as the vessel swings around one or more points, and remain in view until she has turned a given number of pointssay, to two abaft of beam thereby indicating to an observer on one vessel the relative direction of movement or course of the other, the said auxiliary lights being made movable with respect to the present fixed port and starboard lights, whereby they may be arranged in front or to the rear, above or below said port and starboard lights, as may be required to suit the location of said port and starboard lights on vessels of different nations, as well as the necessities of sailing-vessels of all kinds; further, in providing the auxiliary signahlights with screens, one or both of which are adjustable, and in details of construction, all of which are fully set forth in the following specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form part thereof.

This invention was patented in the following countries at the times named: Great Britain on November 6, 1884, No. 14,677 in France March 1, 1884, No. 159,401; in Belgium November19, 1884, No. 66,789; in Italy January 19, 1884, No. 16,268; in Sweden December 31, 1884, (no number;) in Spain April 23, 1885, No. 4,616, and in Austria April 27, 1885, No. 4,248, and in no other place or places.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the forward part of a vessel, showing one arrangement of my improved signal-lights, in which they are located in front of the regular port and starboard lights, but out of line, so as not to obstruct the rays thereof. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same, but in this case the auxiliary signal-lights are arranged a little above the regular port and starboard lights. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a sailing-vessel, and shows my auxiliary signal-lights arranged upon the stays of the mainmast, while the regular port and starboard lights are carried on the stays of the foremast. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the stays,and shows the regular port signal-light and my auxiliary light secured thereto one above the other. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of my improved auxiliary signal-light. Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view of same on line 00 at, Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of same on line 3 y.

A is the vessel. B is her starboard or green, and 0 her port or red, light, as required by law. These are provided with screen-boards, that they shall be seen from directly ahead to two points abaft of beam.

D D are my improved auxiliary and adjustable signal-lights, and are provided with the screen-boards E and F, so arranged that as the vessel swings about she will open her auxiliary light D on the port side when she has passed through, say, two points after screening her green or starboard light, or vice versa. For instance, if the vessel be directed toward the arrow G, both her port and starboard lights would be exposed, but not her auxiliary lights D D. Now, as she turns to the position shown and indicated by arrow H, say, one point, she will have just closed her starboard or green light B, and as she still continues to swing off and after passing through, say, two points, she will unscreen her port auxiliary light D, thus exposing two lights on the port side, thus indicating her course; and in practice these auxiliary signal lights should be the same color as theport or starboard light with which they are grouped, thus showing two red or two green lights. As the vessel passesboth the regular port and auxiliary port lights will remain exposed until she has passed two points abaft of beam, when the screen-boards will shut them out. 7 y

In most steamships the port and starboard lights are arranged at the break of the bow,

and it is easy to arrange the auxiliary lights to the rear thereof; but in some cases these port and starboard lights are placed so far aft that the auxiliary lights must be placed in front of or above them. When placed in front and on the same horizontal plane, they must be arranged out of foreand-aft line with said port and starboard lights, as indicated in Fig. 1; or they may be arranged in the same vertical plane parallel with the keel but raised above them, as indicated in Fig. 2; or they may be placed directly above said port and starboard lights, and this is particularly necessaryin single-masted yachts, as indicated in Fig. 4:. From this it is seen that there is great desirability in making the auxiliary lights separate, independent, and movable with reference to the fixed port and starboard lights. In all cases it is necessary to separate these lights by a space, say, six feet; or, if desired, they may be separated by the distance between two masts, (see Fig. 3,) or even by nearly the length of the vessel, to prevent their blending at great distances.

With this system, when two vessels are directed toward each other, each showing only one light to indicate their exact courseto each other, it is simply necessary that they be swung off a point or two, so as to uncover their auxiliary lights or signals. Their courses will then be known and a collision could not take place. Heretofore when the red or green light was exposed alone, the course of the vessel could not be determined within ten points, and it was owing to this that many of the frequent collisions took place.

My auxiliary light is constructed as follows: K is a box having a red or green glass front, 0, and top and bottom boards, P. L are vertical guides in which the removable lantern M slides, and which lantern is provided with a plain white glass front, N, so as to allow the light to pass through the colored glass 0. S is a cover hinged at t, having a ventilator-cap, 'I, and allows the lampM to be removed from the signal-box K. By this means no water is allowed to splash against the hot lamp, thereby preventing all possibility of its extinguishment or breakage of glass globes or chimneys.

This box arrangement may be applied to the port and starboard lights now in use.

E and F are the screen-boards, and are arranged vertically between the boards 1?, being preferably hinged, as at e, so that they may be adjusted to open or close the light through any desired number of points of the compass. When set, they may be locked in position by locks Q and curved plates R, having holes for the bolts corresponding to one or more points of the compass. This prevents any possibility of their position being changed accidentally. If desired, however, these screenboards may be constructed rigid, and in place of beingstraightthey may be curved, as shown in dotted lines.

U are cleats by which the signal-box K may be secured in a vertical position on the oblique stays J of a ship.

It is evident that two or more of these auxiliary signal-lights opening at different points of the compass might be placed on each side of the vessel.

WhileI prefer the construction shown, I do not limit myself thereto, as the details may be modified in various Ways without departing from my invention. I

In this application I do not claim the specific construction of the inclosed lantern and signal-box, as that will form subject-matter of another application.

I am aware of the patent to White, September 4, 1883, and do not claim anything therein shown or described.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In signallights for vessels, the combination,with the usual port and starboard signallights, of two auxiliary movable and independent signal-lights having screens, one of which is secured upon the vessel with respect to said port light and the other with respect to said starboard light, the said auxiliary lights being adapted to be secured and made fixed above, below, to the rear, or in front of the present fixed port and starboard lights, as circumstances require, whereby as the vessel swings off said auxiliary signal-lights shall be exposed to view or shut ofi from view at specified times, as described, to indicate the course of the vessel, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In signal-lights for vessels, the combination, with the usual port and starboard lights, of two auxiliary or secondary signal-lights, one of which is placed in front of said port light and the other in front of said starboard light, but out of a fore-and-aft line through said port or starboard light, so as not to obstruct their rays of light, the said auxiliary signal-lights having screens, whereby their lights are screened from certain points, as specified, but having outer side exposure, to the end that as the vessel turns in her course the auxiliary light on one sideis automatically exposed or shut off from view, thereby indicating the vessels course, substantially as and for the purpose specified. I

3. In signal-lights for vessels, the combination, with the usual port and starboard lights, of two secondary or auxiliary signal-lights, one of which is fixed above said port and the other above said starboard light, said auxiliary signallights having screens, whereby their lights are screened from certain points, as specified, but having outer side exposure, to the end that as the vessel turns in her course the auxiliary light on one side is automaticsels, having screens E F, arranged one on each side of the lantern-glass and one or both of which are horizontally adjustable in a manner to screen the light sooner or later as the vessel turns in her course, and devices to lock said screen or screens in fixed positions, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE T. PARRY. Witnesses:

R. M. HUNTER, WM. M. MCKNIGHT. 

